Territory



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

J. L. GIROUX.

SMELTING FURNACE.

N0. 508,381. Patented NOV. 7, 1893.

n42 NATIONAL LITHOGNAPHING coMPANv.

WASHINGTQN. 04 c (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. L. GIROUX. SMELTING FURNACE.

No. 508,381. Patented Nov. 7, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH L. GIROUX, OF JEROME, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

SMELTlNG-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 508,381, dated November 7, 1893.

Application filed February 28, 1893. Serial No. 64,031. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concerm Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. GIRoUx, a

citizen of the United States, residing at J crome, Yavapai county, Territory of Arizona, have invented an Improvement in Smelting- Furnaces; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in smelting furnaces. It consists essentially in the employmentofa supplemental blast drum or drums surrounding the bottom or crucible portion of the furnace, with passages through which air is forced directly into the crucible; and in certain details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a plan view of the crucible portion of the furnace. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the blast drums. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a furnace embodying my invention.

The object of my present invention is to provide certain improvements upon the smelting furnace for which application was filed by me January 4, 1893, Serial No. 457,281.

In my experiments I have found that in order to produce the best results from the supplemental blast of air which is introduced into the crucible, below the boshes of the furnace through which the ordinary air blast is introduced, it is necessary to employ a blast drum or drums attached around the periphery to the crucible, having suitable connections through which the air is admitted to said drums, and passages leading from them through the shell and brick-work of the crucible to the interior.

A represents the blast drums which are made of cast iron or other suitable material fitted and secured to the outside metal shell of the crucible. A pipe B opens into each of these blast drums conveying air thereto from an air pump or other source by which air can be delivered under a considerable pressure, in order to overcome the interior resistance, and so that the air can be forced into the molten material within the crucible. From the blast drum passages G extend inwardly in radial lines through the outer wall, and the brick lining of the crucible, so that the air under pressure is delivered into it at points.

The blast drums are provided with covers D fitting upon the outer faces, and secured by bolts E which are hinged to the body of the drum, so that when turned to project through the flange around its periphery they will enter slots E which are made in the cover of the drum, and may then be secured by nuts which are screwed down upon the cover, and force it into close contact with the face of the drum. As these bolts are all hinged to the body of the drum, and the cover is slotted as shown, opposite each of the bolts, it will be manifest that when the nuts are sufficiently loosened upon the bolts, the latter may be turned outwardly about their hinges, and thus free the cover so that it can be easily removed, while the bolts remain attached to the hinges and ready to be again applied.

Through the cover of the blast drum vertical slotted openings F are made of sufficient size to admit a half inch rod. These openings are in line with the passages which extend through the walls of the crucible to its interior, and they are covered by doors G, sliding vertically in guides I-I formed upon the front of the cover.

At the bottom of each door is made an upwardly curving semi-circular slot J corresponding in shape and size with the bottom of the hole which is made through the door, so that by raising the door slightly, the rod may be introduced into the hole, and the door being dropped upon the rod, no opening will be left around the rod for the escape of air. The rod is used to clean the air blast holes and to prevent their becoming clogged by reason of the molten material flowing into their inner ends in case of a reduction of the air pressure in the drum. These blast drums are supplemental to and independent of the blast drums K which surround the boshes of the furnace, and from which tuyeres L open into that portion of the furnace where the loose rock and ore is coming down, and before it has become melted and passed into the crucible.

In Fig. at I have shown the ordinary blast drum K its supply pipe M and the tuyeres L opening from the blast drum into the furnace.

Having thus described my invention, what various I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a smelting furnace, a crucible situated below the boshes of the furnace, blast drums secured around the periphery of the crucible below the boshes, pipes through which air under pressure is delivered into the blast drums, passages leading radially through the walls of the crucible to the interior thereof, openings made through the covers of the blast drums in line with said holes, and vertically sliding doors which close the openings in the cover when they are down, said doors having semi -circular openings formed in the bottom corresponding in shape with the bottom of the holes through the covers whereby a rod may be introduced to clean the openings into the crucible and the doors closed upon the rod to prevent the escape of air around it, substantially as herein described.

2. A smelting furnace having a crucible situated below the boshes and tuyeres of the furnace, supplemental blast drums surrounding said crucible, passages leading from said blast drums radially through the walls of the crucible to its interior, pipes through which air under pressure is admitted into the blast drums, removable covers fitting the faces of the blast drums, said covers having slotted bolt openings around the periphery, bolts hinged to the body of the drums adapted to swing into the slots of the cover and nuts whereby they are secured or released therefrom, vertically sliding doors moving in guides upon the covers, slotted openings made through the covers beneath said doors, and semi-circular slots made in the bottom of the doors corresponding with the curved bottoms of the slots of the openings in the doors, and in line with the passages from the blast drums to the interior of the crucible whereby cleaning rods may be introduced to said passages without allowing air to escape from the blast drum, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH L. GIROUX.

Witnesses:

G. W. HULL, MYRON CORY. 

